


learning to fall

by magicmagnus



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Flirting, Fluff, Ice Skating, M/M, Malec Secret Santa 2017, Meet-Cute, of course, winter-y but not quite christmas-y?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-22 22:26:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13176489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicmagnus/pseuds/magicmagnus
Summary: Izzy poked him in the rib. “C’mon, show us some tricks.”“Ha-ha,” said Alec, pushing backwards on his skates. “Do you want to see the one where I fall on my ass, or the one where I crash into the side of the rink?”“Hmm,” hummed Izzy, easily gliding along with him. Max stomped awkwardly on the ice next to her, his hand tightly clasped around her wrist for support. “How about the one where a dashing young man sweeps you off your feet?”Alec frowned. “What--”“Look out!”Alec felt a body collide with his own for the second time of the evening, nearly knocking him off his feet. He staggered under the weight of a full grown man, hands instantly reaching to his assailant’s waist to steady the both of them. When neither of them went toppling down he let out a relieved sigh, breath white in the frigid air. He looked up to meet an inquisitive pair of brown eyes set into one of the most attractive faces Alec had ever seen. He nearly dropped the man.





	learning to fall

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello, hello! I hope everyone is doing great as this holiday season comes to a close. I, for one, have spent most of it eating chocolate. 
> 
> I wrote this for tumblr user satansmom-hasgotitgoingon for the Malec Secret Santa 2017 event. I had a lot of fun writing it, as well as reading everyone else's submissions! I couldn't quite figure out how to post to the collection before the deadline, so this was originally posted on the [Malec Secret Santa tumblr](http://malecsecretsanta.tumblr.com/post/168920736250/merry-christmas-satansmom-hasgotitgoingon). You can read it here or there, though I did tweak a thing or two to post here.
> 
> As always, I'm on tumblr at [magicmagnus](http://magicmagnus.tumblr.com), and I love hearing from everyone! 
> 
> I hope you like it, and that everyone had happy holidays and has a wonderful new year!

Alec sucked in a deep breath of cold air, eyes turned up toward the dark sky. It was a clear night, and he could just barely see the faint glimmer of stars, their light blocked by the ever constant glow of skyscrapers and streetlights. All around him, he could hear the sharp scrape of skates cutting through ice and the laughing of skaters as they passed by. They weren’t far from the eternal bustle of New York City, but despite the gaggles of tourists and the distant sounds of honking cars, Alec felt more relaxed than he had in weeks - and yet, still as lonely as ever.

That feeling was shattered when a body came crashing into him, outstretched hands shoving him forward. He stumbled a little, catching himself before he could fall, and whirled around to see his sister’s grinning face. Next to her, Max swayed awkwardly on his skates, chortling at the prank. Izzy laughed at Alec’s glare, and held out a gloved hand to steady him.

“What are you doing spacing out over here?” she demanded, gracefully circling around Alec. Her dark hair spilled over the shoulders of her white coat, and around her neck hung pair of earmuffs. Both her and Max’s cheeks had gone pink with the cold air, and the two of them standing together looked like something straight out of a Christmas card. It was a heartwarming sight, the kind that reminded Alec why he still dragged himself to Central Park each year to brave the freezing weather and packs of clumsy tourists tripping around the Wollman Rink.

“Trying to escape the tourists,” Alec flexed his fingers, cold despite their gloves. He frowned, drawing a crease between his eyebrows. “Where’s Jace?”

Izzy waved a vaguely toward the rental and concession stands. “He’s off flirting with the skate rental girl again,” she said with a knowing smile. Alec rolled his eyes; skating had been a tradition of theirs for years, and yet the last few times Jace had spent most of his time hanging around the rental stand instead of on the ice. Maybe it was for the best, though. He had never been especially graceful on the ice, and had come close to taking out a group of Polish tourists last time he’d been out.

“Maybe she’s going to give him lessons,” suggested Max.

“Maybe she is,” replied Izzy innocently. The suggestive eyebrow lift she gave Alec was anything but innocent.

Alec found himself rolling his eyes again, earning another bout of laughter from his sister. Max giggled along. After a moment, Alec cracked a grin. The holidays had always been a tense time of year for their family, even more so after Alec reached adulthood and began drifting down paths his parents didn’t exactly agree with, but the time with his siblings made up for it.

“Anyway, just because Jace is off talking Redhead up doesn’t mean you should be over here alone,” said Izzy, gesturing to the isolated patch of rink Alec had drifted to. She poked him in the rib. “C’mon, show us some tricks.”

“Ha-ha,” said Alec, pushing backwards on his skates. “Do you want to see the one where I fall on my ass, or the one where I crash into the side of the rink?”

“Hmm,” hummed Izzy, easily gliding along with him. Max stomped awkwardly on the ice next to her, his hand tightly clasped around her wrist for support. “How about the one where a dashing young man sweeps you off your feet?”

Alec frowned. “What--”

“Look out!”

Alec felt a body collide with his own for the second time of the evening, nearly knocking him off his feet. He staggered under the weight of a full grown man, hands instantly reaching to his assailant’s waist to steady the both of them. When neither of them went toppling down he let out a relieved sigh, breath white in the frigid air. He looked up to meet an inquisitive pair of brown eyes set into one of the most attractive faces Alec had ever seen. He nearly dropped the man.

It earned him a lopsided grin. The man was tall, nearly the same height as Alec. His dark hair was streaked through with a jolt of dark green that matched the scarf around his neck. Even bundled up in a dark, puffy coat, he looked effortlessly stylish. Something about the man seemed strangely familiar to Alec, and yet he was certain they had never met -- he wouldn’t have forgotten a face like that.

“I’m terribly sorry about that,” the man said, righting himself -- or trying to, at least; he had scarcely moved to an upright position before one foot went flying out from underneath him, nearly dragging Alec down again. He grimaced apologetically, clutching onto Alec’s arm for support. “I’ve often been told I’m not the best skater in the world, but I didn’t intend on taking anyone down with me. 

“Oh, I, um -- it’s fine,” said Alec, in a daze. Behind him, he could hear Izzy giggling. “Uh -- first time?”

The man hummed, eyes sparkling. “Not quite, but it seems there are still things I’ve yet to master.”

Alec cracked a lopsided grin at that. “Yeah, it’s uh, kind of tricky at first,” he said.

“So I’ve noticed.”

The two spent a moment awkwardly smiling at one another before Alec became suddenly, violently aware that he still had his hand wrapped around the other man’s waist. He yanked his hand away, apologizing, but jerked forward again to steady the man by the shoulder when he began to sway, earning a huff of laughter.

“I truly am sorry,” the man said, “I came with some friends who are quite talented, but it seems they’ve abandoned me.” He carefully reached a hand forward, as if worried to throw of his balance. “I’m Magnus.”

“Alex. Um, Alexander,” said Alec in a hurry. He hoped the flush of red to his cheeks could be mistaken for cold. “Alec, call me Alec.”

“Well, Alec,” said Magnus, still smiling, “thank you for saving me from a terrible fall.”

Alec chuckled. “It happens to everyone. Part of the trick is just learning to fall the right way.”

“Ahh, it seems I’ve found an expert, then.”

“Me? No,” said Alec, shaking his head. “I mean, I’m alright --”

“He’s being modest,” Izzy cut in, gracefully inserting herself into the conversation. Her calculating eyes glanced Magnus up and down. She smiled and patted Alec on the arm. “My brother’s an excellent skater! He plays hockey.”

“Hockey? That’s quite impressive.”

“It’s really not that big of a deal,” Alec protested, shooting a glare at Izzy.

Izzy scoffed. “It isn’t nothing! One day, he’s going to be hoisting the Stanley Cup,” she said proudly. She waved a hand around the busy rink. “He could skate circles around anyone here.”

“I would love to see that,” Magnus commented.

“It’s not a big deal,” Alec said again, fiddling with the zipper of his coat.

Magnus hummed, glancing around the rink. “Well, if you have no intention of challenging anyone, I don’t suppose you’d mind showing me around the rink a little bit?”

Alec’s eyebrows shot up. “I--”

As if on cue, Magnus’ skates slid on the ice again. Alec grabbed him by the arm to steady him, prompting a laugh.

“I’m hopeless, I guess. Maybe just how to stay on my feet?”

“Yeah,” Alec found himself saying, hand still clasped around Magnus’ forearm. “Yeah, sure. I’d love to.”

Magnus beamed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Wonderful. That is, if your siblings don’t mind?”

“You can do whatever you want with him,” said”Izzy, cheerfully bumping at Alec with her shoulder. “In fact, Max and I were just leaving to get roasted chestnuts.

Max wrinkled his nose at the suggestion. “But I don’t--”

“Come on, Max,” said Izzy. “I’ll race you to the other end of the rink?”

Just like that, Max was off. His skating was more of a run than a glide, and he nearly took a teenage girl out in his haste. Izzy laughed at the commotion and then took off after him, gliding effortlessly toward their younger brother, hanging back just a bit to give him a lead. Alec watched them go in a daze.

“They seem fun,” Magnus remarked idly.

“Yeah,” said Alec, a crooked smile on his face. “Too much, if you ask me.”

Magnus tutted. “This time of year? No such thing.”

“I suppose you’re right,” said Alec, turning back to him with a grin.

The benefit of skating on a weeknight was that the rink wasn’t nearly as packed as it was on the weekends, giving them enough space to practice. A thin layer of snow coated the grass and trees of Central Park, nearly glowing in the light of the rinks. Alec was used to the chill, and it was made all the more pleasant by the weight of Magnus’ hand against his shoulder as they tried to run through the basics.

Magnus seemed capable of walking on the ice, at least. Permitted he take baby steps, he seemed to have no problem crossing the ice. It was when he tried to do anything more advanced than walking -- such as gliding or even stopping -- that he had problems, nearly smacking into the fence and other skaters. Alec had never seen someone fail so spectacularly, yet still maintain such a graceful demeanor. Most of their practice consisted of Alec trying to keep Magnus upright as much as possible. They finally settled in a comfortable position, Magnus skating forward under Alec’s watchful eye, while Alec skated backward, arms outreached and ready for a fall.

“Like this?” asked Magnus, pushing forward on a wobbly glide.

“Yeah, you’re getting it,” said Alec.

“So, which team do you play for?”

“Cornell,” said Alec. “I’m still finishing up my degree there.”

“Good looking, talented, _and_ smart,” said Magnus, a teasing tone to his voice. “What are you studying?”

“Law,” said Alec. “What about you?”

“I graduated a few years ago. I’m mostly traveling these days.”

“Are you from around here?” Alec asked. Magnus wobbled a little bit, and Alec readied himself to dart forward. Magnus managed to gain his balance, and smiled triumphantly.

“Not originally, but I do consider Brooklyn my home. It seems I rarely get back here these days. For a while there hasn’t been a lot keeping me here,” Magnus said, voice trailing off. He looked at Alec intensely for a moment, lost in thought. He glided forward with ease

“That’s great!” exclaimed Alec.

Magnus hummed in question, and then looked down. “Oh,” he said, stumbling to a halt. His eyes darted up and he smiled at Alec. “You’re a wonderful teacher, Alexander.”

The two continued chatting. When Magnus seemed capable of doing more than just stomping around the ice awkwardly, the two began to circle around the rink, Alec carefully teaching Magnus how to make the turns. At one point, they passed a dark skinned woman whirling around the ice with a pale man dressed all in green. The woman waved at Magnus as they went by, her white box braids fanning out behind her, and the man scowled. Magnus gave a cheeky grin in return.

“Your friends?”

“Yes.”

“They’re pretty good.”

Magnus smirked, watching as the two of them danced across the ice, blades scraping loudly. “They like to think so.”

The two of them continued making their way around the ink. The number of skaters on the ice had begun to dwindle, leaving the two of them with more room to practice. Alec ambitiously tried teaching Magnus how to skate backwards, only to end up with the other man in his arms again. His cheeks had been red the whole evening from more than just the cold, and he laughed nervously as he helped right Magnus again.

“I have a proposal,” said a laughing Magnus, waving his arms out for balance.

“I -- what?”

Magnus smiled at that. “Not even I move that fast, Alexander. I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me sometime? I know an Ethiopian place in Brooklyn that is to die for.”

Alec’s eyebrows shot up, and he sucked in a breath of cold air. He was aware of Magnus’ intent eyes on him, but his mind had already begun racing. He could hear his coach barking in his ear, the sound of his mother’s clipped, disapproving lecture. Despite the shared laughter of the evening, or Magnus’ warmth radiating through the thick layers that separated the two, he wasn’t certain how to proceed. He had the lifestyle of an athlete, one that was daunting and intensive and constantly changing. How could he possibly expect Magnus to understand that?

Sensing the hesitation in Alec’s demeanor, Magnus smiled that cryptic smile of his, and brought one gloved finger up to Alec’s lips in a smooth gesture. “I understand. How about this: if I can beat you in a race to the other side of the rink, I get that date? And if you win, well,” Magnus gave a suggestive lift of his eyebrows, “you can do whatever you want with me. We can put this all behind us, or go to that nice Ethiopian place. How does that sound?”

Alec frowned. “What? Magnus, no, you’ll only hurt yours-”

And just like that, Magnus whipped forward. Alec watched, dazed, as he took off across the ice in smooth, quick bursts, gliding across the ice as if he had been born doing it. Alec gaped for a moment, and then, with the competitive spirit that can only come from having many siblings, he grinned and tore off across the rink after Magnus.

The two of them came to a sharp halt in front of the rink border at nearly the same moment, Magnus slapping the wall just seconds before Alec did.

“You cheated,” Alec panted out.

“Oh?” said Magnus, hardly even winded. “Would you like a rematch?”

And then the two were tearing down toward the other end of the rink, Magnus laughingly and gracefully weaving through skaters. The majority of those in Alec’s way simply leapt aside out of fear.

Magnus won their second match, but Alec caught up on the third. When the two hit the wall at the same exact moment the fourth time, Alec looked up in amazement.

“You’ve done this before.”

“Once,” said Magnus, smoothly circling around Alec, “maybe twice.” He did a few circles around the rink, gaining momentum before he jumped in the air, executing a perfect triple Lutz with practiced ease. He landed on his feet and glided across the ice toward Alec, smiling. “Maybe a few times.”

“How did you --”

Magnus tutted. “You hockey players need to watch some other sports every now and then.” He extended a hand. “Magnus Bane.”

And suddenly, the pieces clicked. Alec stared, aghast, and began bumbling through an apology. It wasn’t every day that he, a mere college hockey player, tried teaching a heavily awarded figure skater how to skate. Alec could have died from mortification.

“Oh my God, you’re -- you placed gold in the Grand Prix last year,” blurted Alec.

“And the Four Continents,” said Magnus with a nonchalant shrug, “among others.”

“I can’t believe I -- why would you --”

“Why would I not pass up the opportunity to be taught how to skate by a _very_ attractive and sweet young hockey player?” asked Magnus, tapping his chin in a pantomime of thought. He skated backwards and Alec followed as if pulled by a string.

“I’m so sorry, I can’t believe --”

“No, Alexander,” Magnus cut off, coming to a smooth halt. In a dramatic role reversal, Alec nearly ran into him, and Magnus righted him with ease and care, his smiling persona finally giving way to a nervous smile. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I completely understand if you aren’t interested in that date.”

“No!” Alec spoke louder than he intended, drawing stares from a few of the others on the ice. Magnus nodded, crestfallen.

“No, I mean, yes,” Alec tried again. He couldn’t remember the last time one person had been able to make him so flustered. “I mean, you did win fair and square.”

Magnus watched him thoughtfully, the side of his mouth beginning to quirk upward again. “Oh? I thought you said I cheated.”

“Okay,” said Alec, “Then how about one more go?”

The two counted down. When they finally hit one, Alec stood in place, watching as Magnus zipped across the rink. He slapped the border triumphantly and turned to gloat, only to burst into laughter when he saw Alec still leaning on the wall by the starting point..

Alec grinned back at him and pushed off the wall. The two met in the middle of the rink, laughing.

Maybe the holidays wouldn’t be so lonely after all.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you loved it, if you hated it, made you weep, made you cry, etc etc etc, I really do love reading everyone's feedback. And remember, I'm always free to cry about Malec on [tumblr](http://magicmagnus.tumblr.com)!


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